1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a text generation unit used by word processors of languages with blank characters between words.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the number of opportunities for generating text have been increasing along with the spread of work stations and word processors which use them. Also, opportunities for generating text whilst translating between different languages have also been on the increase. The following is an explanation of an apparatus used for such text generation.
FIG. 1 shows a construction of a text generation unit constructed according to the prior art. This text generation apparatus is comprised of an input operation unit 11 composed of a keyboard, an input determination unit 12, a text buffer insertion unit 13, a dictionary retrieval unit 14, a text buffer 15, a display unit 16 composed of a CRT or a printer etc., and a dictionary database 17.
The following is an explanation of the insertion operation of a character row by means of this text generation apparatus. First of all, the user makes use of the input operation unit 11 and specifies with the cursor the display position into which the character row is to be inserted. Having received this information, the input operation unit 11 informs the text buffer insertion unit 13, via the input determination means 12, of the specified display position. The user then depresses the activate dictionary key, and, having received notice of this from the input operation unit 11, the input determination unit 12 activates the dictionary retrieval unit 14. The user then inputs the character row (word) to be translated using the input operation unit 11, with the dictionary retrieval unit 14 retrieving the dictionary database 17, extracting one or more potential translations for the word, and having this displayed by the display unit 16. The user then uses the input operation unit 11 to give a selection indication for one of the several potential translations displayed by the display unit 16. The input operation unit 11 then informs the dictionary retrieval unit 14, via the input determination unit 12, of the selected translated character row. The dictionary retrieval unit 14 then notifies the text buffer insertion unit 13 of the selected translated character row. The text buffer insertion unit 13 inserts the translated character row into the byte position in the text buffer 15 corresponding to the specified display position, and has the inserted result shown by the display unit 16.
The text generation apparatus mentioned above is equipped with a dictionary retrieval function, but when no such function is present, the same kind of character row can be inserted by using independent dictionary software and a cut and paste function for character rows. Such a system is described in the following software manual published by A. I. Technology Inc., "rSTONE. JE V1.0 User's Guide" Page 4-1.
It is possible with the above text generation apparatus to insert the translated character rows into the text, but it is unable to replace an original character row in the text buffer 15 with a translated character row (that is to say, the original character row still remains). In order to replace the original character row, the user has to go to the trouble of giving a delete instruction for the original character, once the translated character row has been inserted.
Additionally, when the specified starting position described above marks a position within the original character row, then this will cause the inconvenient result of the inserted translated character row splitting the original character row.